Haley Dantonio, 34, of Hughesville
Haley Dantonio, 34, of Hughesville, entered Alford pleas on October 24, 2025, in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court to charges of neglect of a minor and impaired driving while transporting a child. The case stems from a late-night traffic stop in May 2025 that led to multiple charges and raised concerns over the safety of a young child present during the incident.
According to court documents, Dantonio was charged with one count of neglect of a minor, a misdemeanor, and two impaired driving offenses. She entered Alford pleas to the neglect charge and one of the impaired driving counts, indicating she does not admit guilt but acknowledges the state had sufficient evidence for a conviction.
The charges were initiated following an incident on May 29, 2025. At approximately 6:41 p.m., multiple reports were made to law enforcement about a vehicle swerving erratically along Three Notch Road near Airport View Road in California, Maryland. St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and stopped a gray 2012 Honda Civic. Dantonio was identified as the driver.
According to the arresting officer’s statement, Dantonio’s vehicle had been observed drifting between lanes and nearly striking a curb. When approached, deputies reported Dantonio exhibited slurred speech, glassy eyes, and no detectable odor of alcohol. Her minor child, born in January 2020, was reportedly asleep in the backseat at the time of the stop.
Field sobriety tests were administered, and officers documented several indicators of impairment, including failed walk-and-turn and one-leg stand tests. Dantonio disclosed that she was taking gabapentin, a prescription medication for nerve damage. Officers later discovered a prescription bottle for the drug in her vehicle, with 18 pills missing from a recently filled 90-pill supply.
A preliminary breath test returned a 0.00 BAC result. Despite the lack of alcohol detection, deputies placed Dantonio under arrest, citing observed impairment consistent with drug influence.
Dantonio was charged with:
- Neglect of a minor
- Driving while so far impaired by drugs and/or alcohol that she could not drive safely
- Driving while impaired by drugs while transporting a minor
- Driving while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance
- Negligent driving
- Reckless driving
Following her arrest, Dantonio was released on a $1,000 unsecured personal bond. The case progressed through several hearings and was ultimately diverted into the Adult Drug Court program. On the same day she entered her Alford pleas, Dantonio signed a Drug Court Participant Contract and was ordered into the St. Mary’s County Problem Solving Court diversion program.
The case remains officially open in the circuit court, with further proceedings related to her participation in the drug court program expected to follow.
Haley Dantonio, 34, of Hughesville
